Sunday, March 2, 2014

Conditioning Clear Stamps

Long-time stampers already know that clear stamps often need to be conditioned...and sometimes rubber stamps do, too. After not buying many stamps for a few years, I'd sort of forgotten about it, so here's a reminder to condition your new stamps so they take ink well.

For newcomers, this might just change your life.

First, here's what can happen when you DON'T condition a stamp:

Unconditioned Hero Arts banner stamp using Hero Arts butter bar ink

Now, if you're aiming for a "distressed" look, this is fine. But I'm not generally a distressing stamper. I want clean images. After I stamped this blotchy aberration, I reached for this:

White Eraser
After firmly scrubbing the whole image with the white eraser, I cleaned the stamp well, inked it up again, and this is what happened:




Soooo much better.

Why do stamps need to be conditioned? Well, residue from the manufacturing process can cause blotchiness on both clear and rubber stamps...especially large-area solid stamps. This film is easily removed with mild abrasion, and once it's gone, it's gone.

Any time you have a problem with blotchiness, grab that essential stamping tool--the standard white eraser--and get to scrubbing. Totally worth the effort.



Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: Memento
paper: white 110# cover
accessories: orange Stickles

16 comments:

  1. Wow! That was helpful. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  2. Will only a white eraser work? (All I have is pink but will pick one up if that is what I should be using.)

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    1. I have no idea. I'll ask in my next post (Wednesday evening).

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  3. Thanks for the handy hint. Nice simple card, dreaming of summer? As our summer raws to a close I'm looking forward to some cooler days, always someone looking for something else

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  4. I have a few stamps like this I am going to give it a go on!! Thank you! xx

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  5. Thank you - I've been blaming the ink. I'll have to give this a try.

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  6. Yep, I know this, even though I tend to forget it until I have a poorly stamped image like above.

    Another tip, ala Tim Holtz: ink the stamp with Archival Black and stamp it on scrap paper. Clean it and you are good to go. Some people won't like this because the black does stain clear stamps. Some of us don't care. :)

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    1. I wonder why that is. Are chemicals in the ink dissolving the film?

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  7. I like your bright and cheerful card, Susan. Your design is excellent as always. I did know your tip about conditioning stamps, but thanks for the reminder :)

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  8. Thanks for the reminder! Love that yellow banner

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  9. Thank you for the reminder! Love your bright card!

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  10. Thank you so much! I did not know this and it may save me from throwing away some stamps I thought was bad quality! Going to try it now!

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  11. Thanks for the reminder, Susan ... love your 'cleanly' stamped sunshine-y card! Anita :)

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  12. Had no idea!! Thank you so much!!!!! :)

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  13. WOW! Best tip I've heard in a long while and it will be put to good use right away! SO MANY thanks!

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!